Case study on conditional monitoring of 25MVA power transformer

Abstract

Our Power transformer is one of the most critical components for electrical network in power plants. This means that dependability has a big role. At the moment end users allocate resources to power transformer maintenance. Resources for on-line condition monitoring on the other hand are not very significant. Reason for this is that transformers are reliable and long life components. However, failure costs might be very significant and online monitoring is justified from that point of view.This Project focuses on power transformer online condition monitoring. The goal is to find cost-effective and integrated solution which provides good-enough transformer monitoring. The subject has been studied quite a lot which tells about increasing interest towards the subject and might indicate possible markets for transformer monitoring services. In the beginning research will focus on describing maintenance and condition monitoring related terms. Also goals are defined for different stakeholders applying the Delphi method. The middle part of the work focus on power transformer structure, fault statistics, condition monitoring methods and measurement devices. Also possibilities of condition monitoring are covered.Research results are divided into two different categories. First part of the results will be related to requirements defined for power transformer condition monitoring. Results include requirements for three different ranges of transformer monitoring. Second part of the results contains a specification for pilot project to test power transformer condition monitoring methods and devices